Sunday, June 8, 2014

Pentecost: It's Five O'Clock Somewhere (A Repost of Sorts)

The Day of Pentecost (Acts 2) traditionally marks the birth of the church, when after the Resurrection, God's Spirit descended on the disciples, causing them to speak numerous languages and allowing them to spread the Gospel to the world. It symbolically marked the reversal of what happened at the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11) where when people sought to build a great tower, God prevented them by causing them speak in numerous languages so that they couldn't communicate with one another. On the Day of Pentecost, most observers were amazed, but a few thought something else was at work:
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. 
Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken... Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They've had too much wine.” 
Then Peter stood up, raised his voice, and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. These people aren't drunk... It’s only nine in the morning!
I guess Peter didn't know that it's always 5 o'clock somewhere.

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